Smiling
A happier Tom Dumoulin has returned at the Tour de Suisse after just over five months away from racing.
"My plan is to be as good in Tokyo as I was then. I also believe it's possible, otherwise, I wouldn't have started this plan. Of course, everything will have to fall into the right place and you can ask yourself if I have enough time to grow to my very best level, but I am confident that it will work.
These time trials will make me a bit wiser. Although you can't compare these time trials with the ones in Tokyo. That doesn't really matter, I see these time trials more as a test to realize what my work points are.
I will set myself small goals during each stage and if I can help Sam (Oomen) with that, it'll be a pleasure. I don't see myself in a position to be top 10 in the general classification right now, and that's not the intention. I am not here to kill myself, but to have a good week of racing in the legs. You shouldn't forget that I have only trained for a month.
After two weeks, I did a test and was surprised by the result. The talent has certainly not disappeared. That is also the reason why I have made the Tokyo Olympics a goal.
During the training camp in Livigno, I certainly found the love of cycling again. I was in a deep place before. Besides the mental difficulties, I was overtrained so physically I was not healthy either. As soon as I took some rest, I felt better. When I got back on the bike, I felt that the rider Dumoulin was not finished yet - I still have that feeling now."
-Tom Dumoulin
"This is a normal road stage as opposed to a time trial, which is more for specialists. Both are really nice, but I'm here in Switzerland and it's even better. I finally got a stage win at the Tour de Suisse. And I'm really, really happy with that."
-Stefan Bissegger
"As soon as he could smell the victory, nothing was going to stop him. It's great too because now we're leading the team classification and I'm still holding onto the best young rider jersey."
-Neilson Powless
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